Oral Answers to Questions

Mary Macleod Excerpts

Thursday 20th October 2011 Commons Chamber

[Chris Huhne]

I have to say that I find it somewhat ironic to be lectured by the Opposition about the importance of speed in this area, given that it was the Labour Government who cancelled the Peterhead project in 2007. The reality is that we are attempting to proceed with this as quickly as we can. We have learned an awful lot from the negotiations and from the engineering studies at Longannet, and we hope that we can proceed and deliver on time and within budget.

[Mary Macleod (Brentford and Isleworth) (Con)]

7. What plans he has to support investment by small and medium-sized enterprises in energy efficiency schemes.

[John Glen (Salisbury) (Con)]

8. What plans he has to support investment by small and medium-sized enterprises in energy efficiency schemes.

[The Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Charles Hendry)]

There are a number of Government policies that support small and medium-sized enterprises. The green deal, for example, will be available to SMEs when it is launched next year. It will enable them to improve the energy efficiency of their properties, thereby reducing carbon emissions and energy costs. The green deal will also drive demand for energy efficiency products and services, from which SMEs will be able to benefit.

[Mary Macleod]

Ormiston Wire in Isleworth has previously won the Queen’s award for sustainable development, and has a wealth of experience in wind turbines, solar panels and energy-efficient lighting. Will the Government ensure that SMEs such as Ormiston Wire are represented in the discussions on the green deal, to ensure that SMEs are given real support for any energy-efficient schemes?

[Charles Hendry]

I am delighted to hear from my hon. Friend of the steps that Ormiston Wire has taken; they are typical of the measures that many companies have taken. The green deal is a way of encouraging SMEs to put in place energy efficiency measures, and I am glad to see that they are taking advantage of that. The feed-in tariff regime will also encourage them to look at microgeneration.